Well as of this past Tuesday my Sling is off ... "Physical therapy" starts next week and I'm hoping to head to the sand blasters next week and finally get my frame out of his shop. Some additional good news I was able to get the frame numbers off of the top rail once the body filler was removed. I was pretty excited when I found them ... One step closer. Thanks for all the messages and all the support. I'm looking forward to getting started on my build AGAIN.
Exately, Down time means; search for parts! E-vil-bay and hamb can bring you some good deal, and now you have the time need to sit on your @@s to find them. According to another HAMBer; spend your work hours wisely and do you thinking in the shower! Take you time!
I don't plan on doing much heavy lifting yet, I mean mostly just rolling my engine and trans into the middle of my garage, starting to clean things up...but nothing major. Just need some little things to get motivated. Been 7 weeks sitting on my @$$ already.
BOY WAS I WRONG !! [emoji121]️ I thought you guys would enjoy some pics while you're sipping your morning coffee. Haha ... Finally after all my ups and downs and 2 sand blasting guys, I got my frame back last week. It's in the garage on stands and I'm moving forward.
Not wanting to torch cut the garbage off the frame I took a chance with a hammer and a few light hits to the motor mounts ... And to my surprise ! Then came the "4 link bar" Whoever built this frame intended on totaling themselves and this car. Holy smoke ... It's 2mm thick steel sq tubing. But hey they added a plate for strength. [emoji102][emoji603]
I thought you guys would get a kick out of these pics and like to know I'm moving forward finally. I'm working on carefully removing the plates inside the rails. It's a perfect place for moisture / salt and ultimately rot. I'll be ordering the steel to box the frame properly, once it's cleaned up primed and ready.
Holy shit- I thought I sucked at welding! Hate to say it , but you might want to look for a better frame- or invest in $100 bucks worth of grinding discs (and some new lungs!) I just went through carpal tunnel surgery, so am down to one hand for a while ( and it's my LEFT hand, so I might as well have 3 feet!) Frustrating as hell for sure, but TRY to do what the Doc says, and maybe we can BOTH get Helga the German masseuse to help straighten us out? ( You vill do as I say!) It's nice of your wife to let you work in the kitchen- love the cabinets! ( haha) Hang in there, kiddo!
Hahaha !!! It looks like they just threw bird shit at everything ! This frame isn't bad...I'm in good shape over here ! The welds on the plates inside the rails are as bad as the rest. I've already removed one w/ almost no effort. I got this [emoji106] I'll send my masseuse over to ya ... For your 3 feet and your bum arm too.
@patmanta had some links to a set of all done boxing plates. They fit from front to rear cross member. Abd if you do a good job of cleaning it up, they will make a major difference in the rigidity of your frame and it look more clean and easier to fit then most homemade stuff. But you are on the right track with this.
I remember seeing his posts. I think I recall them being rather thin though. I could be mistaken tho I really want to plate it as they would have back in the day except a bit nicer.
buy some 3/16" or 1/4 " flat stock and either have a buddie cut them with a plasma, or do it with an angle grinder with a cut-off disc. "Recipe for Nana's Homemade Boxing Plates" Make cardboard templates, cut flat stock, then fine tune with a grinder so they just fit into the rail channel. Then take some scrap and cut it into pieces 1 and 1/2 " wide X 3" long. Randomly tack them INSIDE the channel at an angle so they hit top and bottom- maybe every 12" or so. Now you have a spacer so you can clamp the bejeesus out of the plates, they'll be nice and straight, and you should end up with a 1/8 to 3/16 "shoulder" between the face of the plate and the channel. Fill with a good bead of weld, grind to a 1/4" radius like the outside of the rails, and VIOLA!! PERFECTION! That's how we did it when I was young, only with a hacksaw and file, gas and coathangers - you young guys have it made!! Why when I was a kid , .......................
Mike can you tell me why they did this ... One was completely filled with body filler. I was surprised to see two cut outs for steering boxes. Not to mention they torched both of them open when they plated the frame rail. Doesn't really make much sense
The chassis itself is in amazing shape, the welding that they did to add the brackets and the plating is horrible. As soon as I remove the bad stuff that they added I will have basically a perfectly good frame to start from. I'm not worried about it one bit It already looks a million times better !
That's quite a ways to move the steering box back, anyone's guess what the thought was behind it . Looks like it got re-located 12" or so?? ( T bucket or Bantam body?) But you're right- the original frame looks pretty clean behind all the booger work. By George, I think it'll work! Rock on!
My initial thought was T Bucket but I second guess myself...because I'm not versed in it. However I did manage to get both sides off from the crossmember forwards. Both sides are damn near perfect w no flaking or even pitting. The fact that this frame never saw use since it was plated or "Built" I use that term lightly...made the difference. They shaved the rivets flush on the outside and left the heads intact under the plates between the plate and the frame so there was a 1/4" gap. I think that might have allowed air into the pocket and actually helped.
I'll get you the information on the 504 channel tomorrow. Alternately you can buy plates or make them. Metal Supermarket in Woburn has Saturday hours. you could get some 4" flat stock and do it. I'd use a portaband instead of a grinder.
There are a few places local to me, I'm going to call around this week. I don't think I'll be using a portaband seeing I don't own one. I don't mind cutting and grinding. But definitely post up that info for the 504 Channel if you have time and don't mind. Thanks guys !
wow, Mike that is some awful stuff. But you're right, it looks pretty good under the junk. Keep plugging away.
Plasma is the way to go, BUT..... Thin kerf cutting discs from Homo depot are about $3 bucks each ( the blue and silver ones, "diablo") . GO SLOW and they work great- you can even cut the arc on the bottom of your boxing plates, just keep making passes going deeper a little at a time. "Let the tool do the work" - quote Mr. McGee, shop class, 1964. If you make a cutting table with some horses and a hunk of plywood, you can work like a gentleman. I usually do it outside to avoid shit going everywhere and the possibility of random sparks doing bad things. ( I don't even want to use the word!) I also highly recommend $19.-- 4 1/2" angle grinders at Harbor Freight. They put up with a lot of shop abuse, and are pretty much disposable ( and if you keep your receipt and fry one, you can trade it in for a new one).Just DON'T buy cutting discs or grinding wheels there, they suck!!! It all sounds time consuming, but I've usually got more time than money . ( and I'm Scottish) Go for it, Laddie! Sure and she'll be a bonney good frame in no time!
Looking better every post Mike. Once you get rid of all the crap they put on there, you'll have a nice frame to do it the right way. It's progress in the right direction! Aaron
You will not regret getting a portaband! Add it yo your list! And I disagree with @mike bowling on the HF grinders, I think they're awful. The amount of vibration they impart to your body wears you out quick as opposed to a decent DeWalt, which just does its job.
I've got several grinders ... I'm good in that department. Steel is ordered already also ... I'll look into a portaband pat. Ty
Here is the passenger side rail from the trans crossmember forward. The metal on the frame rail is part of the weld I need to grind down still. Not a cut on the frame itself. Here's the disgusting chunk of iron I removed
Thank God that guy couldn't weld! Heaven only knows what he was trying to do in there! Patience and determination will get it straightened out and looking good, keep up the good work.
Wow man, you never know what some people are thinking (or smoking) when they do crap like that! Your frame does look good under all that garbage. I used scrap plate steel left-overs from the jobsite. 1/4 in and used the Mike Bowling method with great results. I just finished boxing yesterday. You are welcome to swing by if you are in area. Good luck
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